


And If You'll Only Hold Me Tight We'll Be Holding On Forever

by thesaddestboner



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Gen, Retirement, Subtext, Vancouver Canucks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-02-28
Updated: 2008-02-28
Packaged: 2017-10-27 16:04:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/297616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesaddestboner/pseuds/thesaddestboner
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>The arena had long been empty, but Mattias could still hear the chants for Trevor echoing in his ears.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	And If You'll Only Hold Me Tight We'll Be Holding On Forever

**Author's Note:**

> Written for my Canucks-loving buddy [**offside**](http://offside.livejournal.com/) after her favorite player, Trevor Linden, retired.
> 
> Title from "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler (shut up).
> 
> You can find me on [twitter](http://twitter.com/thesaddestboner) and [tumblr](http://saddestboner.tumblr.com).

Mattias slumped on the deserted bench and put his feet up. The arena had long been empty, but Mattias could still hear the chants for Trevor echoing in his ears.

 _Retiring_. He couldn't believe it. Trevor had been around forever and now he was retiring.

Mattias scratched at his knee through his blue jeans. He was going to get kicked out soon, he knew, but he didn't want to leave. The arena was a magical, special place for him, and leaving would shatter the illusion.

Leaving would mean the season was over.

Mattias scuffed a heel at the railing. Banners fluttered overhead on an inexplicable breeze, like the old arena ghosts had come home to roost. It seemed only fitting, on Trevor's last day.

"Thought you went home."

Mattias looked up. "Thought _you_ went home," he said.

Trevor settled next to Mattias on the bench. "Just wrapping a few things up," Trevor said.

"Is there anything I can do to convince you to change your mind?" Mattias asked, forcing out a laugh so that Trevor knew he wasn't being serious.

Trevor smiled and rubbed a hand through his curls. "Nah. It's just time, you know?" Trevor looked over at Mattias and they locked gazes. "It's the right time."

Mattias sighed. "You know it won't be the same," he said, curling his fingers around Trevor's.

"I know," Trevor nodded, and Mattias picked up just the slightest hint of regret in his voice.

Mattias looked back to the ice surface. It was slick and white, all evidence of the game scraped away. It was perfect and Mattias hated it. It felt wrong for their season to be over so early. For Trevor to be done.

"What are you thinking?" Trevor asked, chipping through Mattias' thoughts.

"Thinking about how I hate the ice," Mattias said.

Trevor laughed. "Why?"

"It's so smooth and perfect. It's wrong," Mattias said. Trevor's wedding band was cool and smooth against Mattias' fingers, and he shivered.

Trevor chuffed lightly, slipping his hand away. Mattias immediately missed it. "It is, isn't it?"

Mattias looked back at Trevor. He was never going to see Trevor like this again. Mattias would never skate alongside Trevor as his teammate again, and it was wrong. Trevor tilted his head up and Mattias followed his gaze to the banners fluttering lightly in the rafters. Mattias reached out tentatively - to do what? Mattias had no idea - before his brain aborted the mission and he dropped his hand in his lap.

Trevor looked over. "I'll see you around? Cristina's waiting for me," he said.

Mattias reached out and grabbed Trevor's hand, startling both of them. "I'll miss - we'll miss you, Trev."

Trevor slowly wrapped his fingers around Mattias'. "I'll miss you too, Ohlie." Trevor squeezed back, smiling at him warmly.

He smiled back. The heaviness that had settled over his heart since he first learned of Trevor's retirement plans that evening had lifted away with Trevor's smile. He slipped his hand reluctantly away from Trevor's and followed him with his eyes as he walked to the exit.

Mattias turned his eyes back to the rafters, to the fluttering banners and slid a hand up over his heart. He could feel it pounding under his fingertips. His palms were cool and clammy and his stomach was in knots. What was he so nervous for? Mattias laughed, high and happy, and it ricocheted like a bullet around him.

He finally dropped his hand from his chest and headed out.

**Author's Note:**

> The author of this piece intends no insult, slander, or copyright infringement, and is not profiting from this work. This story is a complete work of fiction and does not necessarily reflect on the nature of the individuals featured. This is for entertainment purposes only. If you found this story while Googling your name or the names of your friends, hit the back button now.


End file.
